Customizing the display of information by parsing descriptive closed caption data

ABSTRACT

The display of information supplied from a remote source is customized. Profile data identifying user preferences or display characteristics associated with a user&#39;s display device is transmitted to the remote source. Descriptive closed caption data disposed in a predetermined location in the data structure of the information is received from that remote source. The descriptive closed caption data is parsed from the received information; and the user&#39;s preference or display characteristic is recognized from the parsed data. The parsed data is used to control the user&#39;s display device, thereby displaying the supplied information in accordance with the user&#39;s preference or in accordance with the particular display characteristics of the user&#39;s display device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to customizing information, such as content,supplied to a user's display device from a remote source; and, moreparticularly, to using descriptive closed caption data from the sourceto display information in a form or format that is particular to thepreferences or characteristics of the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Information supplied from a source, such as content supplied from acontent provider, generally is limited in the form and format selectedby the provider. For example, content may be supplied along withsubtitles or closed caption information as may be transmitted by thecontent provider. Video content may be supplied with dubbed audioinformation in selected languages as may be chosen by the contentprovider. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated thetransmission of content along with closed caption information inparticular languages. While this has significantly enlarged the audiencethat appreciates such content and has improved the entertainmentexperience of members of that audience, there remains a substantialportion of the population that will not fully enjoy such content. Forexample, individuals who are visually or auditorily impaired might notexperience fully satisfactory entertainment enjoyment, even with suchclosed caption information currently being transmitted.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide abetter entertainment experience to individuals suffering fromphysiological impairments.

It is another object of this invention to provide a large amount ofentertainment-enhancing information and data in the FCC-mandated closedcaption slot of content that is transmitted via terrestrial, satellite,cable or Internet delivery.

A further object of this invention is to parse the hierarchical datastructure that may be present in the closed caption slot of content, inorder to detect particular information consistent with a user's profiledata.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide technical solutionsfor individuals having different accessibility needs and requirements toenable those individuals to enjoy content in a form and/or format thatconforms to predetermined display characteristics of the individual'sdisplay device.

A further object of this invention is to transmit from a userinformation associated with the user's device, which information can beused to change, for example in real time, the particular information(e.g. closed caption or subtitle information) used by the device todisplay such particular information in accordance with the user's needsor preferences.

A still further object of this invention is to automatically update auser's profile data, which identifies the user preferences or displayparameters, when the user changes display devices, thereby sending tothe user content and related information that is customized to theupdated user profile.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the present inventionwill become readily apparent from the ensuing detailed description, andthe novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, the display of information suppliedfrom a remote source is customized. Profile data identifying the userpreferences or display characteristics associated with a user's displaydevice is transmitted to the remote source; and descriptive closedcaption data is received from that remote source. The descriptive closedcaption data is disposed in a predetermined location in the datastructure of the information supplied from the source. The descriptiveclosed caption data is parsed from the received information; and theuser's preference or display characteristic is recognized from theparsed data. The parsed data is used to control the user's displaydevice, thereby displaying the supplied information in accordance withthe user's preference or in accordance with the particular displaycharacteristics of the user's display device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description will best be understood inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a system in which the presentinvention finds ready application;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one implementation of a user's displaydevice that incorporates the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the data structure of information suppliedto a user from a source of content; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an implementation of the parsingfeature in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a block diagram of system100 which incorporates the present invention. System 100 includes acontent server 110 adapted to supply information in the form ofentertainment content, such as a movie, a television show, audioentertainment, or the like, to remote users via a network 102. Network102 may be private Internet Protocol (IP) networks, as well as public IPnetworks, such as the Internet. The network may be a wired network or awireless network, as are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.User devices 104 are coupled to network 102 and are adapted to receiveinformation from content server 110. Additionally, and as will bedescribed, user devices are adapted to send, via network 102, profiledata that identifies the user's preferences by which content suppliedfrom content server 110 is displayed at the user's device. As usedherein, the display of content refers to visual or audible display; andmay also refer to tactile display, such as braille for individuals thatmay be visually and auditorily impaired.

Content server 110 supplies to user devices 104 via network 102descriptive closed caption data that is used to establish the formand/or format by which the content supplied from content server 110 isdisplayed at the user's device. In the preferred embodiment describedherein, the descriptive closed caption data is disposed in theFCC-mandated closed caption slot, such as set out in the EIA-608 andEIA-708 standards. The descriptive closed caption data used by thepresent invention is described below.

System 100 also may be provided with a server 106 that receives theuser's profile data and supplies to the user the descriptive closedcaption data synchronized with the content provided by content server110. As a result, the user device 104 displays the content from contentserver 110 with additional information from server 106 as determined bythe user's profile data.

Examples of the operation of system 100 now will be described. Userdevice 104 may be operated by the user to generate and transmit profiledata via network 102 to content server 110 and, if provided, the server106. The profile data identifies, for example, a particular subtitle orclosed caption language preferred by the user, to be displayed on userdevice 104. As another example, the profile data may identify aparticular audible language to be generated at user device 104. It willbe appreciated, the display of textual information as subtitles orclosed caption information is intended to assist the user that is notconversant in the particular language used in the content, or who may beauditorily impaired; and the audible “display,” which may be dubbed intothe visually displayed content is intended to assist the user who is notconversant in the language of that content, or may be visually impaired.Other examples of profile data include:

-   -   identifying the ability of the user device 104 to receive and        display closed caption textual information;    -   identifying the ability of the user device 104 to receive and        display closed caption graphical information;    -   identifying the preference of the user to receive explanatory        closed caption information that provides a description of the        background information that otherwise would not be perceived by        a physiologically impaired user;    -   identifying the particular location and size of textual        information that is overlaid on the user's display device 104,        such as the device used by a visually impaired individual;    -   identifying the particular format in which closed caption        information is displayed;    -   identifying particular display characteristics of the user        device 104, such as the sound generating characteristics of the        device, size of the visual display device, 3-D capabilities of        the user device, and the like.

In another embodiment, if the user does not generate profile data to theserver, a default profile may be generated by content server 110 orserver 106 based on the geographic region (e.g. country) in which theuser's device is located, language of that country, language of content(e.g. video programs) that had been selected previously by the user, andthe like. Textual information may be transmitted to the user device as afunction of such default profile; and in a variation of this embodiment,the textual information may be in the language most used in this region.

As yet another embodiment, closed caption information and/or subtitleinformation may be generated based upon the user's preferences, as maybe collected at the server from the viewer's history of viewing content,downloading content, playing multimedia devices, and the like.

The profile data transmitted by the user device may be associated withthat device such that a regeneration of profile data need not betransmitted each time the user device is connected to network 102.Rather, the profile update may be stored at content server 110 or atserver 106 and associated with the user device 104 such that when theuser device is connected to network 102 and identified by the server,the profile data associated with that user device is automaticallyretrieved.

When a user wishes to enjoy information, such as content, supplied fromcontent server 110, a request for content may be transmitted from userdevice 104. This request for content may include the user's profiledata; or, alternatively, simply may identify the user device to enableautomatic retrieval of the user's profile data. The content requested bythe user is transmitted from, for example, content server 110 to userdevice 104 via network 102. The content may be transmitted in digitalform and includes the data structure established by the content server,for example, the data structure that conforms to the ATSC standard. Thedata structure includes a closed caption slot into which the contentserver disposes the descriptive closed caption data mentioned above.Alternatively, the descriptive closed caption data, which neverthelessconforms to the user's profile data, may be supplied from server 106 touser device 104.

The user device includes a programmed processor that parses thedescriptive closed caption data from the received data content. Theuser's preference or the display characteristics of the user device 104is recognized from the parsed descriptive closed caption data; and theuser device 104 is controlled in accordance with the user's preferenceand/or device display characteristics. For example, if the user'sprofile data identifies textual subtitles, the content from contentserver 110 is displayed on user device 104 with subtitles. If the user'sprofile data identifies subtitles to be displayed in, for example,Spanish, and if subtitles for the content from the content server areavailable in Spanish, the content from content server 110 is displayedon user device 104 with Spanish subtitles. If the user's profile dataidentifies a particular format in which subtitle text is to be displayedon the user's display device, the subtitle text from content server 110,or from server 106, as the case may be, is displayed on user device 104in that format, as specified by the parsed descriptive closed captiondata.

As another example, if the user's profile data identifies audioinformation in, for example, French, and if the content from contentserver 110 is available with French audio information, the content fromthe content server is displayed on user device 104 dubbed in French. Ifthe user's profile data identifies explanatory textual information, thecontent from content server 110 is displayed on the user device, forexample, a video scene is displayed, with textual information thatexplains or describes the environment of that scene. This isparticularly helpful if the user is auditorily impaired.

If the descriptive closed caption data includes both textual and graphicdisplay information; and if the user's display device is capable ofdisplaying only textual information, display device 104 parses thetextual information from the received data content and ignores thegraphic display information. Alternatively, the textual information isignored and the graphic display information is parsed from the receiveddata content if the user's display device is capable of displaying onlygraphic information.

As another example, user device 104 may be a media player, such as a DVDplayer. Profile data associated with that media player may identify aparticular language in which subtitles are to be displayed, or aparticular language in which the audio portion of the content is to bereproduce from the medium. In this example, consistent with that profiledata, server 106 supplies to the user's display device descriptiveclosed caption data that contains the identified subtitle language oraudio portion of the content being reproduced from the medium.

An embodiment of a user device 104 is illustrated in the block diagramof FIG. 2. One example of the user device is an Internet ProtocolTelevision (IPTV), although other display devices capable ofcommunicating with content server 110 or server 106 via network 102 mayembody user device 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the user deviceincludes a CPU 202, a ROM 204, a RAM 206, a bus 208, an input/outputinterface 210, an input unit 212, an output unit 214, a storage unit216, a communication unit 218, a drive 220, a removable medium 222, anda display 228. Although not shown, the user device also may includebiometric sensors for sensing and supplying to server 110 or server 106biometric data derived from the user, thereby identifying the user andthe user's profile data.

The CPU 202, the ROM 204, and the RAM 206 are interconnected to oneanother via the bus 208, and the input/output interface 210 is alsoconnected to the bus 208. In addition to the bus 208, the input unit212, the output unit 214, the storage unit 216, the communication unit218, and the drive 220 are connected to the input/output interface 210.The CPU 202 executes various kinds of processing in accordance with aprogram stored in the ROM 204 or in accordance with a program loadedinto the RAM 206 from the storage unit 216 via the input/outputinterface 210 and the bus 208. The ROM 204 has stored therein a programto be executed by the CPU 202. The RAM 206 stores as appropriate aprogram to be executed by the CPU 202, and data necessary for the CPU202 to execute various kinds of processing. The input unit 212 includesa keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, and the like. When the input unit 212is operated by the user, the input unit 212 supplies an input signalbased on the operation to the CPU 202 via the input/output interface 210and the bus 208. The input unit is operated by the user to assist ingenerating the user's profile data. The output unit 214 includes adisplay, such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or an LCD, a speaker, and thelike. The storage unit 216 includes a hard disk, a flash memory, and thelike, and stores a program executed by the CPU 202, as well as datatransmitted to the server 110 or server 106 via network 102. A removablemedium 222 may be, for example a magnetic disk, an optical disc, amagneto-optical disc, or a semiconductor memory, which may be loaded asappropriate into the drive 220. The drive 220 reads data recorded on theremovable medium 222 or records predetermined data on the removablemedium 222. The display 228 may be part of the output unit 214 or may bean additional display unit. The communication unit 218 includes a modem,a terminal adaptor, and other communication interfaces, and performs acommunication process via the network of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the data structure illustrated in FIG. 3, there isillustrated one embodiment of the data structure included in the closedcaption slot consistent with, for example, the EIA-708 standard. It willbe appreciated that similar data structures may be provided in otherlocations of digital data transmitted to users from content servers vianetwork 102. This data structure is transmitted from content server 110or server 106 in response to a user request for content; and includesparticular information consistent with and requested by the user'sprofile data. This hierarchical data structure may be communicated inXML as part of the overall response. It is appreciated, thishierarchical data structure may be communicated in other known formats,such as JSON, YAML, etc.

The illustrated data structure identifies the user's device as the tag<product ID>. This tag may be supplied with the user's profile data; ormay be generated automatically at server 110 or server 106 in responseto identifying data supplied to the server from the user device vianetwork 102. The tag <entry> identifies the content being supplied tothe user device 104. The tag <subtitle> within <entry> identifies theasset referenced in <entry> as containing subtitle information. Theasset here is content, such as video, still image, audio or the likeinformation; and the subtitle information of <subtitle> identifies thedescriptive closed caption data included in the data structure assubtitle data. Within the <subtitle> tag is the identification of thelanguage of that subtitle, as indicated by <language>. In this example,the identified <language> is English.

The tag <type> within the <subtitle> tag identifies the particular typeof subtitle that will be displayed. For example, the subtitle may bedisplayed as textual or graphic characters, dubbed audio sounds,braille, or other displayable information. One example of displayingbraille characters is a so-called moving braille device, such as abraille-type tablet that displays moving braille that moves insynchronism with the content supplied from content server 110. Theenumeration “cc” in the tag <type> represents a text-based closedcaptioning stream that complies with the applicable portions of theEIA-608 or EIA-708 standard. The user device 104 that conforms to thisstandard displays the subtitle data as closed captioning information inaccordance with such standard.

The tag <language> within the <subtitle> tag identifies the specificlanguage of the subtitle. Recall, the subtitle may be textual or graphicinformation (or a combination of both textual and graphic information),audio information, or other displayable information; and this tag<language> identifies the language in which that information isdisplayed. As mentioned above, in this example, the language of thesubtitle or other displayable information is English. The tag <format>identifies the particular format in which the subtitle is to bedisplayed. In the illustrated example, the format of the subtitle is thestandard SMPTE-TT format. As other examples, the format of the subtitlemay be SAMI, SRT, WebVTT, etc. Of course, depending upon the format bywhich the user device 104 may display the descriptive closed captiondata, the <format> tag identifies that display format. If the userupgrades or changes display device 104 so as to change the displayformat of the descriptive closed caption data, the <format> tag may besimilarly changed such that the user's display device is instructed tobe compatible with the format in which the closed caption data is to bedisplayed.

Thus, the illustrative data structure shown in FIG. 3, when properlyparsed (as will be described below) controls the user's display deviceto display subtitle, explanatory, audio or other displayable informationin accordance with the user's preference and in accordance with thedisplay characteristics of the user's device.

Turning now to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 4, this flowchartdescribes the method by which user device 104 parses the descriptiveclosed caption data from the information received from content server110 or server 106. It will be appreciated, this method may beimplemented by a programmed processor.

Prior to receiving information from, for example, the content server,user device 104 is operated to transmit to the server a request forcontent. The user device also may transmit to the server the profiledata associated with the user's display device. This profile data may betransmitted prior to or along with the user's request for content. Inone embodiment, this profile data is stored at content server 110 orserver 106 and is accessed in response to the identification of the useror the user device 104 that may be transmitted with the user's requestfor content. Commencing with step 402, the user device receivesinformation from the server, such as the information represented by thedata structure shown in FIG. 3 and disposed in the closed caption slotof the data transmitted by the server. This information is in the formof packets multiplexed into the transport stream normally used in thetransmission of digital video information, and is in response to theuser's request for content. This response is parsed from the receivedinformation.

The data associated with the <entry> tag in the received information isparsed from the data structure, as represented by step 404, and asrepresented by step 406 the data associated with the <subtitle> tag isparsed from the data structure. Continuing with the flowchart of FIG. 4,the <language> data is parsed from the data structure, as represented bystep 408; and the <format> data is parsed from the received datastructure. Since the data transmitted by content server 110 and server106 is compliant with the EIA-708 standard, data associated with the<EIA-708> tag (not shown in FIG. 3) is parsed from the received datastructure.

Consistent with the EIA-708 standard, closed caption data may bedisplayed at the user's display device either in textual format,identified as the “psi” attribute, or in graphical format, identified asthe “vid” attribute. Inquiry 414 is made to evaluate the attribute ofthe closed caption data, that is, to determine whether the receivedclosed captioned data exhibits the “psi” or “vid” attribute, therebyidentifying the format in which the closed caption data is to bedisplayed. If the attribute of the closed caption data is determined tobe “psi,” the flow chart proceeds to step 416; and in step 418 the datastructure is parsed to detect the closed caption packet identifier inthe multiplexed transport stream.

The language identification that had been parsed from the data structurein step 408 is used in step 420 to select the identified language fromall the subtitles in all the languages that are transmitted from theserver. Closed caption textual information, for example subtitles, inthis selected language is retrieved from the data structure shown inFIG. 3, and is decoded in step 422 consistent with the ISO 13818-1standard. The decoded textual information in this selected language issuitably rendered in step 432, combined with the received content toform a composite image in step 434, and displayed on the user's displaydevice, as represented by step 436.

If inquiry 414 determines that the attribute of the closed caption datais “vid,” the flow chart proceeds from inquiry 414 to step 424; and instep 426 the data structure is parsed to extract the graphical videoinformation from the multiplexed packets included in the elementarystream (ES). For example, the packet identifier in the packetscontaining graphical video information in the data structure aredetected.

The language identification that had been parsed from the data structurein step 408 is used in step 428 to select the identified language fromall the graphical information in all the languages that are transmittedfrom the server. Graphical information in this selected language isretrieved from the data structure shown in FIG. 3 and is decoded in step430 consistent with the ATSC A/53 standard. The decoded graphicalinformation is rendered in step 432, combined with the received contentin step 434 to form a composite image, and displayed, in step 436, onthe user's display device.

A “truth table” reflecting the operation of inquiry 414 and steps416-422 on the one hand and steps 424-430 on the other may be summarizedas follows:

Parse Apply Decode <CEA-208> Video Parse language Decode per 150/IECattribute type ES PSI settings A/53 [30] 13818-1 [14] vid graphics truefalse true true false psi textual false true true false true

Examples of customizing information supplied to a user's display devicefrom content server 110 or server 106 now follow. If the user isvisually impaired, profile data sent to the server from the user devicemay identify audible sounds (e.g. speech) in a particular language asthe user's preference. Consequently, the descriptive closed caption datatransmitted from the server and associated with, for example, a programto be displayed includes speech data in that language, therebycontrolling the user's display device, such as a sound generator, anInternet-connected radio, a multimedia player, or the like, to generatesound in the identified language. As another example, the profile datamay identify braille as the user's preference. In that case, thereceived descriptive closed caption data includes characters in brailleformat; and if the user's display device is a movable braille reader,that reader is controlled to generate corresponding characters inbraille.

As another example, the user's profile data may represent the user'spreference for the display of textual subtitles in a particularlanguage. If those subtitles in that language are available for theparticular content requested by the user, the descriptive closed captiondata received by the user device includes textual information in thatlanguage. Such textual information is displayed as subtitles on theuser's display device in the format identified by the profile data,compatible with the display characteristics of the user's device. If theuser's device is, for example, an Internet protocol television (IPTV),the operating characteristics of that device will be communicated vianetwork 102 and, thus, known to the server, whereby informationtransmitted from the server will be compatible with and matched to thatdevice.

As yet a further example, the user's profile data may identify the useras being auditorily impaired and may include data identifying the user'spreference to receive explanatory textual information. As a result, theclosed caption data transmitted from, for example, content server 110may include such textual data that explains the audible environment of,for instance, a video scene, such as a subtitle that states “explosion”or “engine roar” or the like.

Examples of the user's display device include optical disc players,internet-connected television receivers, personal computers, peripheraldevices, communication devices (e.g. smartphones, PDA's, and the like),blue-tooth connected devices, HDMI devices, 3-D glasses, and digitalaccessories. The identity and display characteristics of the user'sdevice are included in the profile data sent from that device; and thedescriptive closed caption data transmitted from the server, or otherremote source of content, is compatible with the user's display deviceas determined by the profile data.

As mentioned above, the user's profile data may be updated automaticallywhen the user selects a new or different display device with which todisplay content. For example, if the user obtains or selects a newmultimedia display device, such as one or more of those referred to inthe preceding paragraph, the user's profile data is updatedautomatically and in real time to identify that new device and/or thedisplay characteristics associated with that new device. Consequently,the descriptive closed caption data transmitted to the user from theserver will be compatible with that new device.

In one embodiment, the user can transmit to the server a command that“turns off” the request for descriptive closed caption data thatotherwise is present in the user's profile data. The server responds tothis command by not transmitting closed caption data to the user untilthat command is modified, or until revised profile data is sent to theserver.

One use that may be realized from the invention described herein is theability to provide updated or upgraded software in the closed captionslot transmitted from the server. The updated software is parsed at theuser's device to modify the ability of that device to recognize andupgrade to new or improved formats. Thus, updates may be effected inuser devices without the need for physical replacement of hardware.Conversely, the format of the closed caption data that is transmittedfrom the server may be revised to be compatible with the formatabilities of the user's device by sending to the server profile datathat identifies updated formatting of the user device.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described inconnection with preferred embodiments, and while various alternativesand examples have been disclosed, it should be readily appreciated tothose of ordinary skill in the art that various other changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. The appended claims are intended to encompass theembodiments described, as well as such other changes and modificationsas will become apparent.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of customizing the display ofinformation supplied from a remote source and exhibiting a datastructure, comprising: transmitting profile data associated with auser's display device, said profile data identifying user preferences orpredetermined display characteristics of the user's display device;receiving from said remote source descriptive closed caption datadisposed in a predetermined location in the data structure of thesupplied information; parsing from the received information saiddescriptive closed caption data; recognizing the user's preference or apredetermined display characteristic in the parsed data; and controllinga user's display device with said parsed data to display saidinformation in accordance with the user's preference or in accordancewith the predetermined display characteristic of the user's displaydevice.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptive closed captiondata is textual information in a particular language selected by theuser.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the textual information issubtitle text.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the descriptive closedcaption data identifies a format, and the user's display device iscontrolled to display the subtitle text in a predetermined format at apredetermined location in accordance with the user's preference andcompatible with the user's display device.
 5. The method of claim 4,wherein the format identified by the descriptive closed caption data isadaptable to match the format of the user's display device.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the descriptive closed caption data is audioinformation in a particular language selected by the user.
 7. The methodof claim 6, wherein the user's display device is controlled to generateaudio sounds dubbed into the information displayed at the user's displaydevice.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptive closed captiondata includes audio information that describes an environment of theinformation displayed at the user's display device.
 9. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the displayed information is a video scene.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the user's preference is graphicalinformation.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermineddisplay characteristic is textual or graphic display informationparticularly compatible with the user's display device.
 12. The methodof claim 1, wherein the descriptive closed caption data includes bothtextual and graphic display information; and wherein the user's displaydevice is controlled to display text or graphics, depending upon thedisplay capabilities of the user's display device.
 13. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the predetermined location in the data structure inwhich the descriptive closed caption data is disposed is a closedcaption slot mandated by the FCC.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein theprofile data associated with the user's display device is updatedautomatically when the user changes the display device so as to identifydisplay characteristics of the changed display device.
 15. A method ofsupplying useful information exhibiting a data structure and descriptiveclosed caption data to a remote display device, comprising: receivingprofile data that characterizes the remote display device, said profiledata identifying preferences of a user of the display device orpredetermined display characteristics of the display device; selectingparticular descriptive closed caption data determined by said profiledata; inserting said descriptive closed caption data in a predeterminedlocation in the data structure of the useful information; andtransmitting said useful information to be displayed at the displaydevice, together with said descriptive closed caption data; wherein saiddescriptive closed caption data is adapted to be parsed at the displaydevice to display textual information or graphical informationdetermined by the received profile data.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein the predetermined location in the data structure of the usefulinformation is a closed caption slot mandated by the FCC.
 17. The methodof claim 15, wherein the descriptive closed caption data is textualinformation in a particular language selected by the user.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the descriptive closed caption dataidentifies a format by which the user's display device detects thetextual information for display in a predetermined format at apredetermined location in accordance with the received profile data. 19.The method of claim 15, wherein the descriptive closed caption data isaudio information in a particular language identified in the receivedprofile data.
 20. A customizable display device for displayinginformation supplied from a remote source in a data structure,comprising: a transmitter unit configured to transmit profile dataassociated with the display device, said profile data identifying userpreferences or predetermined display characteristics of the user'sdisplay; a receiver unit configured to receive from said remote sourcedescriptive closed caption data disposed in a predetermined location inthe data structure of the supplied information; a parsing unitconfigured to parse from the received information said descriptiveclosed caption data; an identifying unit configured to recognize theuser's preference or a predetermined display characteristic in theparsed data; and a controller configured to control the display devicewith said parsed data to display said information in accordance with theuser's preference or in accordance with the predetermined displaycharacteristic of the display device.
 21. The device of claim 20,wherein the descriptive closed caption data is textual information in aparticular language selected by the user.
 22. The device of claim 21,wherein the textual information is subtitle text.
 23. The device ofclaim 22, wherein the descriptive closed caption data identifies aformat, and the display device is controlled to display the subtitletext in a predetermined format at a predetermined location in accordancewith the user's preference and compatible with the display device. 24.The device of claim 23, wherein the format identified by the descriptiveclosed caption data is adaptable to match the format of the displaydevice.
 25. The device of claim 20, wherein the descriptive closedcaption data is audio information in a particular language selected bythe user.
 26. The device of claim 25, wherein the controller isconfigured to control the display device to generate audio sounds dubbedinto the information displayed at the display device.
 27. The device ofclaim 20, wherein the descriptive closed caption data includes audioinformation that describes an environment of the information displayedby the display device.
 28. The device of claim 27, wherein the displayedinformation is a video scene.
 29. The device of claim 20, wherein theuser's preference is graphical information.
 30. The device of claim 20,wherein the descriptive closed caption data includes both textual andgraphic display information; and wherein the controller is configured tocontrol the display device to display text or graphics, depending uponthe display capabilities of the display device.
 31. The device of claim20, wherein the predetermined location in the data structure in whichthe descriptive closed caption data is disposed is a closed caption slotmandated by the FCC.